Effectiveness of the high value crop-based extension model in improving rural livelihoods

Jakavula, Siyabulela Cornelius

Title: Effectiveness of the high value crop-based extension model in improving rural livelihoods
Creator: Jakavula, Siyabulela Cornelius
Subject: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Crops -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Agricultural extension work
Subject: Agricultural administration -- South Africa
Subject: Agriculture -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Subject: Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Date: 2013
Type: Thesis
Type: Masters
Type: MSc Agric (Agricultural Economics)
Identifier: vital:11202
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007533
Identifier: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Rural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Crops -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Agricultural extension work
Identifier: Agricultural administration -- South Africa
Identifier: Agriculture -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Food supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Identifier: Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Description: The problem that is researched in this study relates to the effectiveness of the extension model applied in the High Value Crop programme in improving rural livelihoods in the Eastern Cape. The extent of poverty in rural areas in the Eastern Cape motivated for the intervention of the Is‘Baya through the introduction of Integrated Village Renewal Programme (IVRP). The need to improve the quality of life of rural households through the promotion of agriculture and industry gave rise to the collaborative effort between the Is‘Baya Development Trust and Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in South Africa. The HVC programme was established to mitigate the effects of food shortage and poverty through the production of fruit trees, herbs and vegetables at household level. Evaluation of the effectiveness of this collaborative effort was carried out in four local municipalities of the OR Tambo District and these included: King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality (Zangci); Nyadeni municipality (Hluleka); Port St Johns municipality (Noqhekwana) and Ngquza Hill municipality (Hombe). An equal number of villages where Siyazondla was implemented by DRDAR were visited for the survey to relate the extension model applied with HVC. The villages visited included: OR Tambo (Mhlontlo local municipality) Xhokonxa village; Amathole (Amahlathi local municipality) Ndakana village, (Ngqushwa local municipality) Mgababa village and (Mbhashe local municipality) Mbanyana village. The broad objective of the study therefore, was to evaluate the effectiveness of the extension model applied on the HVC programme as well as to identify the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders involved in the model. The specific objectives of the study were to describe the HVC based extension model as it is currently organized and implemented in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa in relation to the erstwhile Siyazondla programme, to establish the effectiveness of the extension model in terms of skills transfer and capacity development, to determine the socio-economic impact of the extension model on the livelihood of involved households, to establish the extent to which the extension model has empowered women and youths and to study the factors that has contributed to the sustainability of the extension model. In carrying out this research and in line with the practice of Agricultural Research for Development (ARD), qualitative and quantitative methods of information gathering were applied. Group approach such as the Rural Rapid Appraisal (RRA) and the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods of data collection were used. These tools include semi-structured interviews, focus-group discussions, transect walks, seasonal calendars, key-informant interviews, resource maps and secondary data. A sample of 149 respondents was selected from eight villages in the OR Tambo and Amathole districts. The HVC model was analysed using qualitative approach, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The Is‘Baya/ARC extension model is thus said to be effective in meeting the objectives of the HVC programme due to the efficient transfer of skills and technology and its positive impact on the livelihood of the people. There was also an improvement of the income and food security status of the rural dwellers in O.R Tambo district. The regression analysis model was applied and the results of the model were significant to the highest income earned. Out of 22 explanatory variables fitted in the regression model, 12 were significant. The R² and adjusted R² are 73 percent and 68 percent respectively which shows the significance of the fitted variables in the model. The very high F value of 15.427 shows strong significance of the fitted variables to the model. The study therefore concluded that the HVC based extension model implemented by Is‘Baya and ARC was very effective in improving rural livelihoods. The study further recommended investment in infrastructure, market linkages, value adding, public-private partnerships, creation of tenure security, investigation of different funding sources, investment on agricultural research, extension of skills provided and implementation of similar model by the public sector.
Format: 218 leaves; 30 cm
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Science & Agriculture
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare

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